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In New York State, the building's 1st floor is commercial…

In New York State, the...

In New York State, the building's 1st floor is commercial space, 2nd floor are residential rental apartments. there are 3 meters in basement control the 2nd floor apartment but now vacant, hooked on fuse box. Contractor installed 2 new 200-amp service panels on 2nd floor, will use 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 Aluminum SER Service Entrance Cable to connect to basement meter #1 #2. Also install 1 new 100-amp service panels on 2nd floor, will use 2-2-2-4 Aluminum SER Service Entrance Cable connect to basement #3. Can he simply replace 3 fuse boxes below 3 meters? By what?

1) Panels are sold in a variety of amperage ratings.........ie........ 30, 60, 100, 125, 150, 200 amps and even higher. I recommend a local electrical supply store as Home Depot and Lowe's often carry limited panelboard amperages and quantity of breaker slots. Electrical supply stores carry all types of panelboards that will be applicable for many applications.

2) The panel amperage is based on the feeder conductor size and the service amps originating into the meter socket.

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Customer reply replied 5 months ago

Under 3 meters for 2nd floor, should put one 200-amp breaker on panel #1 (200-amp), then 200-amp breaker on panel #2 (200-amp), then 100-amp breaker on panel #3 (100-amp). I am trying to find smallest size panel as possible because I have two 200-amp panels and one 100-amp panel on 2nd floor.

1) Sounds like you want to install a main disconnect switch? If so, main disconnect switches are sold as the fusible type and are available at any local electrical supply store. 100 and 200 amp models are widely available.

1) Combination meter sockets with a built-in main breaker are also available. Square-D and Milbank are the industry leaders for these types of main disconnects. Instead of a fuse, these versions have a built-in main disconnect circuit breaker.

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Customer reply replied 5 months ago

3 main disconnect switches. Two 200-amps, one 100-amps under those 3 meters in the photo, right?

1) That depends upon the incoming service amps to each meter and the service entrance conductor sizes. You need to confirm the amperage. Look at the fusible disco switches. The main cartridge fuses will be labeled with the amperage.

1) The panels below the fuses are a combination of a main disconnect and branch circuits. The cartridge fuses are the main disconnect. The individual yellow fuses look like branch circuits. Are the glass fuses serving the individual branch circuits within one apartment?

2) Does each apartment contain a smaller sub-panel or you installed either a 200 or 100 am panel in each each apartment?

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Customer reply replied 5 months ago

1) These 3 meters are been vacant for 3 years. I was connecting 2nd floor outlets before. Now my contractor installed brand new two 200-amp panels and one 100-amp panel on 2nd floor with all brand new wiring. I am wondering if any way those SER cables from 2nd floor new panels connect to 3 meters in the photos, without much cost?2) On 2nd floor, I have two 200-amp panel and one 100-amp panel for each apartment.

Customer reply replied 5 months ago

1) These 3 meters are been vacant for 3 years. *They* were connecting 2nd floor outlets before. Now my contractor installed brand new two 200-amp panels and one 100-amp panel on 2nd floor with all brand new wiring. I am wondering if any way those SER cables from 2nd floor new panels connect to 3 meters in the photos, without much cost?2) On 2nd floor, I have two 200-amp panel and one 100-amp panel for each apartment.

1) Like I mentioned in my previous answer, the main cartridge fuses are 60 amps. A 60 amp service is very common for apartment units.

2) If you are looking to supply 100 or 200 amps to the new panels, then the service needs to be upgraded to 100 or 200 amps accordingly. The service/feeder conductors into the meters would also have to be upgraded to accommodate a 100 or 200 amp load.

3) If looking to retain the 60 amp service, the 100 or 200 amp main breaker in the new panels will only act as the means of disconnect and the 60 amp disco switch can remain in place. If an overload with 60 amp service, the 100 or 200 amp main breaker will not trip. The 60 amp cartridge fuses would blow on an overload condition.

4) The SER cables can either be confirmed to which panel they extend to by a toner or continuity tester. A voltage meter can also confirm by measuring voltage at the 100 and 200 amp panels and then disconnecting the cartridge fuses at each of the disco switches.

1) The original fuse boxes look like a combo main disconnect and branch circuits. I suspect the 25 amps yellow fuses are for the branch circuits. It is also a code violation to use 25 amp fuses on a 120 volt circuit. Fuses and/or breakers can only be 15 or 20 amp rated. I suspect the 25 amp fuses were installed to prevent blowing fuses on previously installed 15 or 20 amp fuses. If so, that is a code violation and can lead to a fire. The circuit is being overfused. You will need to confirm the wire sizes on each 25 amp glass fuse. If 14 AWG copper, max amp is 15. If 20 AWG copper, max amp is 20. Yet, I'm seeing 25 amp fuses?

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Customer reply replied 5 months ago

there are still live electricity in those 3 meters. National Grid shut off powers in 3 black boxes under those 3 meters and put locks on 3 years ago. You wrote "If you are looking to supply 100 or 200 amps to the new panels, then the service needs to be upgraded to 100 or 200 amps accordingly. " How to do that?

1) Who reads the 3 meters? The local electrical utility or the property manger?

2) I suspect the exterior of the building contains the utility meter and the inside basement meter are customer premise meters in order to provide individual apartment billing, is that correct?

3) If looking to upgrade the service amps, then the building service supplied by the utility needs to be confirmed. The service entrance conductor sizes to the exterior and interior meters also need to be confirmed. If wanting to upgrade the individual apartment amps, then the meter sockets along with the service conductors and the main disconnect all need to be upgraded accordingly to accommodate a higher amperage.

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Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.